A Bike Commute in Three Acts

Act One

Bike to Work month is when we send inexperienced cyclists out into the city with a wellness goal. Their enthusiasm to get the miles in doesn’t match a skill set and while given plenty of room, one of them ran into me last night.

“Inevitable,” I thought to myself as I helped her up, and continued on my way.

“Hold your line” too.

Like a gauntlet out there

Act Two

A commuter got the holeshot across an intersection…accelerated so fast from the stoplight, blew the corner, bunny hopped an island, and landed hard back on the pavement with lights flying off his bike. He continued pedaling unaware he’d lost them, but totally got that Spokane Street holeshot.

Act Three

Aggressive, on-your-left roadies pass at a congested spot on the path, while we’re waiting for pedestrians. The shoulder brush from the 3rd one got a, “Guys, c’mon!” from me. Heads down, interval mode, they didn’t hear my bark or the suburban pulling out of a parking lot that almost hit them.

Never saw the 3-man, time-trial team again. They must’ve made up for the lost time unclipped next to the bumper of the suburban, and ultimately prevailed, setting a new Strava Alki Beach path segment record.

Sunny day commute with thousands of cyclists out.

The tensity of the mood during the commute, at times, is palpable; while there is a time and place for training, and riding hard, the bike path is not that place.

The moral of the story: share the path, be courteous, and when necessary, help the newbie. She’s just trying to get in shape like you.